Urghhh!

COFFEE that has been eaten and then thrown-up by a Vietnamese weasel has gone on sale in Macclesfield.

Stutopia on Chestergate has introduced a range of unusual and some might say stomach-churning treats in time for Christmas.

As well as weasel coffee, the gadget shop also now offers barbecue worm crisps, peppermint ant lollipops, scorpion vodka, white chocolate ants, snake vodka and pearl lollipops.

The strange stock has been brought in by owner Stuart Pownall, who opened the store just four weeks ago.

Stuart, 26, said: "The new stock came in on Tuesday and it's doing quite well. We've sold a couple of bottles of the vodka and some of the lollies, but whether people are buying them for themselves or for people they don't like is a different matter.

"I'd say it is the most unusual stock we have in - touching on the bizarre."

Selfridge's in London is the only other shop in the UK that sells the goods.

Stuart added: "Our scorpion vodka contains a real edible farm-raised scorpion, which has been specially bred for us in southern China.

"The scorpion is first put through a special detoxifying process and then infused in the vodka for three months before hitting the shelves.

"It imparts a pleasant, soft and woody taste to the vodka and smooths off its sharp edge. And it is said to possess many health benefits when drunk, such as helping to increase libido, lowering blood pressure and helping to remove toxins from the bloodstream.

"I haven't tried it myself though."

The organic coffee has been eaten and then regurgitated by a weasel, and is found only in northern Vietnam.

The weasel dramatically alters the taste of the coffee providing a rich, stronger and smoother coffee. It is a purely naturally occurring phenomenon and no weasels are harmed in order to obtain the interesting brew.

The coffee is specially sterilised to ensure it is safe for human consumption and is purchased by the shop directly from the native villagers. Five per cent of the sale of each bag goes to the preservation of wildlife in northern Vietnam.

Stuart added: "The edible snake vodka contains a farm-raised wolf snake, again specially-bred in China. It's quite an acquired taste but is said to be an aphrodisiac, particularly for men.

"We are also selling white chocolate ants, which include Black Giant Ants and taste a bit like Nestle's crunch chocolate bar. And peppermint ant lollipops, made from American Red Ants."